Fascinated by the rainbow, had always been the fantasy of the utmost child in me. Rainbows are beautiful. Not always there for me to see but never fail to appear after such a long, dreadful distant. The beautiful curves of colours as rainbows always appear to be, never fail to make me happy.
I saw two beautifully formed rainbows, once, when I was thirteen. It was a long drive along the East Coast of the Peninsular. They were such prides over a beautiful green meadow and lit up the grey sky. They were the best I have ever seen.
This is a story of my first rainbow. I was young, solely kept occupied by Grandma. One day, after the long day of scraping ices, selling juices, collecting empty bottles and cups and washing them up. It drizzled that late afternoon on our way back home at the ‘100 steps’. Me holding on to Grandma (like holding onto dear life), we saw my first amazing rainbow. Grandma said, not to point at it with my index finger for there lay a curse that my very tiny finger will be amputated the very morning I wake up. Grandma said, whenever rainbow appears, the seven princesses from the world less known by man come down to have their bath.
I believed, but as inquisitive as I have always been, I kept thinking and asking if there wasn’t really much water supply at the other world. Grandma kept silent for a while then she continued that in this world, there is one beautiful place where waterfalls gushed down from the mountain tops, the cool waters are surrounded with lush greeneries and the atmosphere is fill with misty vapour. That’s the special place the princesses bath at, each time they come to Earth.
I used to find solace during my childhood in the escapade of imaginary world of my own. I was then very distant from Grandma. Each time when it rains, I would peep through to see rainbow and hoped that it come to bring me a smile. Each time when I saw one, I prayed to God that the princesses will realize that I am truly fascinated by them, hoping that they will come to me and bring me back to where they are from. I don’t mind even if I have to be the girl fairy on the other land, ready at their beck and call. All I want is a place away from where I was. But sadly to say, they never did take me physically away. I live still with that hope in my wildest dream.
But I think, two years back, on my trip to New Zealand, I saw the place where Grandma said they always come to bath at. I guess it must be Milford Sound. That was a beautiful lush and cool waterfall. I thought I saw rainbows falling from the sky and dived it’s way through the waters. So I stayed longer there, even after I was left two weeks more to be on my own, I never see them – the princesses. This time, I only hope to tell them that I do not want them to take me away to the place where they stay (perhaps not now) because Grandma is getting old and frail, I’m on a government bond and life seems to be getting slightly better than it was before. Lastly, the most important thing, the Aunty Agony in me has grown up and is always there to guide me.
I am,
Tyro